Staff Writer
Committee also OKs additional landfill counsel fees
The Riverside Arts Market has been such a success that City leaders are looking for ways to make it more accessible to boaters, but City Council members were concerned on Monday that plans for a floating dock weren’t more detailed.
Finance Committee members approved the proposed ordinance 4-3, but only after debate.
A request to appropriate nearly $400,000 from the Northbank Tax Increment District Fund to develop a floating, L-shaped dock attached to the Northbank Riverwalk so boaters could access the Riverside Arts Market from the river was presented to the Committee. Members were wary about signing off on an appropriation that they weren’t sure what the money would be spent on.
Committee member John Crescimbeni pointed out that there were different sizes listed for pilings in two different proposals present for the floating dock and he was frustrated that the plans were not more defined before funds were requested for the project.
“We are working with several different things,” said Ron Barton, executive director of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission. “The design also depends on where the budget is going to come out. We might shorten the docks if we are squeezed on price.”
The statement didn’t do much to ease Crescimbeni’s concerns.
“I would’ve thought if you were up here asking us for an appropriation, we would have been a lot closer to something more final,” said Crescimbeni. “You are getting ready to lose a vote here. I’m concerned we’re not more zeroed in on this.”
The concept for the floating dock was that it would be 210 feet long with a 60-foot-long gangway attached to the Northbank Riverwalk adjacent to the northern approach of the Fuller Warren Bridge.
Finance Chair Stephen Joost stepped down from his position to comment on the project and how it would affect future budget cycles.
“Normally, I support these kinds of bills,” said Joost. “With where the budget is, I’m going to vote no. I’m looking at the bigger picture. This money could be better used in funding something else, like our pension needs. That’s the biggest single liability the City has. Not having a floating dock isn’t going to bankrupt the City.”
The proposed ordinance was passed out of Committee by a 4-3 vote with Committee members Johnny Gaffney, Ray Holt, Denise Lee and Don Redman voting for it while Crescimbeni, Joost and Clay Yarborough voted against the bill. Vice Chair Bill Bishop abstained because he is a principal with Akel, Logan & Shafer, architects and planners and he stated there may be a potential business conflict for him with the project.
In other business, although Finance members were notified Monday of a tentative settlement with Waste Management Inc., the Committee unanimously approved increasing the special counsel fees should litigation continue.
The Office of General Counsel asked the Finance Committee Monday afternoon to make $1.2 million available to pay for special counsel to assist in pending litigation. It would be a $750,000 increase over the $450,000 already set aside.
The Committee obliged General Counsel Rick Mullaney’s request to move proposed Ordinance 2010-170 to the top of the agenda at the 2 p.m. meeting so he could be present if there were questions before he had to attend another meeting. The Committee unanimously voted to move it out of committee and on to the full Council.
“This is significant litigation, requiring a high quality legal team,” said Mullaney when questioned about the expense of the outside counsel. “That’s what we have. It’s expensive, but this is high stakes litigation.”
Chief Deputy General Counsel Cindy Laquidara has served as lead counsel and the law firm of Tanner Bishop has been retained as co-counsel to represent the City in the suit filed by Waste Management in U.S. District Court. The Office of General Counsel currently employs 39 attorneys, including Mullaney and Laquidara.
However, Council members were told Monday that the General Counsel’s Office reached a tentative settlement with Waste Management regarding its suit against the City filed after the Council voted not to extend the contract for $750 million over 35 years to the Trail Ridge Landfill operator.
“We have been told they have reached an agreement,” said City Council Vice Chair Jack Webb. “The Office of General will present the settlement offer to the City Council and we will vote on whether or not we want to accept it.”
Waste Management had handled the City’s landfill needs at the site near the Baker County line at 5110 U.S. Highway 301 in Baldwin since 1991. The company operates on 144 acres of the 900-acre site.
Last spring, Mayor John Peyton proposed to award Waste Management an extended contract for those services because of the cost savings the company proposed over the life of the contract. However, Council members decided that the best price could be gained through the bid process and voted to place the contract out for bid.
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